Circuit court news

Published
8:00 pm EDT, Saturday, March 24, 2007

* Benito Diaz, 54, Mount Pleasant, was sentenced in the Midland County Circuit Court for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. The offense occurred on Oct. 6, 2006 in Lee Township. Judge Jon Lauderbach sentenced Diaz to between two and three years in prison with credit for 147 days.

* Timothy Wade Hand, 22, Sanford, was sentenced for conspiring to commit third-degree home invasion. The offense occurred on May 28 in Lee Township. Lauderbach sentenced Hand to seven months in jail with credit for 16 days to be served at the end of two years probation, $600 costs, no drugs or alcohol, subject to substance screening, and to attend outpatient or residential substance abuse treatment.

* Dustin Lee Hnilica, 32, Edenville, was sentenced for fourth-degree fleeing police. The offense occurred on Nov. 7 in Jerome Township. Lauderbach sentenced Hnilica to $1,100 fines and costs, 18 months probation, to be monitored by an electronic tether for six months, not to use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to substance screening, and to attend outpatient or residential substance abuse treatment.

* Jon August Inman, 24, Baldwin Street, was sentenced for third-offense drunken driving and obstructing or resisting police. The offenses occurred on July 15 in Lee Township. Lauderbach sentenced Inman to between 18 months and five years in prison for the first offense and between 16 months and two years in prison for the second offense, with credit for one day each. Inman previously was convicted of impaired driving on Aug. 7, 2000 and of drunken driving on Nov. 14, 2000, both in the Midland County District Court.

* Jeffery Jay Larente, 32, Hemlock Street, was sentenced for possession of cocaine and second-offense DWLS. The offenses occurred on Aug. 5 in Midland. Lauderbach sentenced Larente to 108 days in jail with credit for time served, $600 costs, two years probation and to driver license sanctions by the state.

* Dwight Stephenson, 36, Mill Street, was sentenced for aggravated assault. The offense occurred on Aug. 29 in Midland. Lauderbach sentenced Stephenson to 106 days in jail with credit for time served, $1,100 fines and costs, one year probation, to attend Anger Management, not engage in any assaultive, abusive, threatening or intimidating behavior toward others, no possession of weapons and must be employed at least 30 hours weekly or involved in a program approved by a probation agent.